Top 8 Mad Hatter Tea Party Ideas

Bring the delights and whimsy of Alice in Wonderland to life with quirky party decorations. Recreate the novelty landscape of the Mad Hatter’s tea party for a bridal shower, birthday party, or wedding reception using these eight ideas.

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Fanciful Feast

Evoke the fairytale ambience of a forest banquet with this themed display. This outdoor Mad Hatter Tea Party idea features layers and layers of colorful lighting and texture, emulating the chimerical essence of the Hatter’s fanciful woodland gatherings. For this zany display, arrange a long table under a canopy of trees, or in a clearing surrounded by tall trees. Next, hang colorful paper lanterns, string lights, and bunting banners and spray paint wood birdcages to hang over your table. Don't forget the chandelier. Cover the table in with a cascading, tablecloth, and scatter teapots, cups, and dessert trays overflowing with teacakes and sweets atop. Surround your bountiful table with mismatched, vintage chairs to complete your display. Photo from A Fanciful Twist.

Tantalizing Topiary

Just as dear Alice explores the mystical vignettes of Wonderland, so will your guests at your fanciful gathering. This Alice in Wonderland party idea mimics the Queen’s terrifying garden game board with regal topiaries and roses. For this tabletop centerpiece, put a well-manicured ball topiary to use, and wrap the pot in pink paper or pink organza fabric. Next, secure preserved pink roses in the topiary, giving it a regal touch. Arrange a vase filled with roses near the topiary, adding to the game imagery. Photo from Catch My Party.

Impassibly Giant Flowers

Because nothing is impossible (only impassible) in Wonderland, this Mad Hatter wedding idea is sure to catch the imagination of your guests. You can easily create giant paper flowers to be used in place of bouquets at your whimsical wedding. For this look, use aluminum wire to form round petal frames, and cover each with different colors of filato paper. Use the wire to secure the paper to their frames, and then to each other once the flower is formed. Finally, attach the blossom to a fiber stick stem, once again with the help of aluminum wire. Here is a simple tutorial on how to form these flowers. Photo from Green Wedding Shoes.

Tea Tray in the Sky

This picturesque decoration will wonderfully complement your Mad Hatter tea party. For this Alice in Wonderland DIY idea, use a metal serving tray as the foundation for your display. Next, arrange a vintage teapot and tea cups on the tray, along with a domed pedestal glass cloche, also holding a tea cup and saucer. Add an overgrown, forest-inspired feel by layering preserved moss on the tray, saucers, and cloche stand. This purely decorative arrangement works well as a centerpiece at your spring tea. Photo from DIY Inspired.

Late for a Date!

Adding clocks to your Alice in Wonderland party décor will incorporate the time motif so prevalent in the story. For this Mad Hatter bridal shower idea, stabilize a large, vintage wall clock atop a sideboard in your living or dining room. Add pedestal desserttrays in front of the clock, and place antique decanters and bottles atop one of the trays, and pastries on another for guests to take at their leisure. Bring the whole ensemble together by using a top hat as a champagne bucket. Photo from Better Homes and Gardens .

Wantonly Woods

This capricious, sprightly centerpiece is the perfect addition to your outdoor luncheon or afternoon tea. For this look, begin with a gold or moss-covered urn vase. Next, place a tall, decorative manzanita branch in the vase, and surround with foam and sand to keep it in place. Once your potted tree is secure, place moss around the base of the branch to give it a woodland feel. Attach butterfly clips to several of the off shooting twigs to finish the display. This vase can be used in a whimsical centerpiece display, or as an attractive fixture on a shelf or side table for an indoor gathering. Photo from Wedding Chicks.

Painting the Roses Red

Just as Carroll’s fanciful novel oscillates from whimsy to terror, you can add the shudder-worthy motifs to your otherwise enchanting Alice in Wonderland décor. This Mad Hatter tea party decoration idea is easy to replicate, and is an unmistakable homage to the queen’s court. Begin with a bunch of white silk rose stems. Next, use a foam brush to coat the tips of the roses’ petals with crimson red paint. Arrange bouquets of three or four stems into slender hobnail glass vases, and arrange on your tables or shelves. Photo from The Hob-bee Hive .

Wonderland Wedding

Lewis Carroll himself would be inspired by this prodigious tablescape. This Alice in Wonderland decoration idea will compliment novelty décor at your outdoor wedding reception. Emulate this magical look by laying a preserved moss sheet down the center of your banquet table, like a textured, natural runner. In the middle of the table, stack several vintage books or book boxes, and arrange a metal lantern atop. Next, scatter bud vases filled with vibrant flowers and succulent sprigs along the mossy runner. Utilize antique china dining and tea sets to complete the tea party gestalt. Sprinkle heart-shaped confetti on the table for a capricious touch. Lastly, top it all off with a first edition Alice in Wonderland novel propped up on the table. Photo from Want That Wedding .